Lalitha Sahasranamam Meaning 740 - 744

Friday, May 14, 2010

Lajjā लज्जा (740)

Lajjā means bashfulness. This is considered as one of the basic qualities of women. The bīja hrīṁ is known as lajjābīja (hrīṁ is also known as māyābīja). It is also said that She is bashful fearing conceited rituals. Lajjā is used in nāma-s 79 and 195 in triśatī. Her true devotee is compared to a tortoise, which shrinks all its body parts within its shell. She should always be worshipped in solitude. There is difference between joint prayers and conceited rituals. For example, gurus’ birthdays are celebrated jointly by all his disciples. Community worship is another instance of joint prayer. Conceited rituals mean, invoking Her amidst pomp and vanity. She does not look into material offerings. She is concerned about what is being offered from within.

Rambhādi-vanditā रम्भादि-वन्दिता (741)

She is worshipped by Rambhā, Urvaśī and other beautiful celestial damsels. Rambhā is the wife of Nala-kūbara (son of Kubera), who was carried away by Rāvaṇa. Some scriptures say that Rambhā also means Gaurī, the wife of Śiva. Possibly this nāma means Her unparalleled beauty.

The next eight nāma-s discuss about Her intentions of destroying evil acts to make one realize Śiva, the Brahman. Please recall nāma 727.

Bhava-dhāva-sudhā-vṛṣṭiḥ भव-धाव-सुधा-वृष्टिः (742)

She puts out the fire of materialistic life (saṃsāra) by raining nectar. While in the path of spirituality, there is no room for pleasures associated with material life. Bhava means saṃsāra, dhāva means forest fire. Material life is compared to forest fire and She extinguishes it by rain of nectar. Forest fire is ignorance and nectar is knowledge. Ignorance is the cause for indulging in material life. Ignorance is eradicated by acquiring knowledge.

This nāma could also mean that by showering on the forest, She makes the forest to grow. This means that She makes the ignorant to continue to suffer from the influence of māyā. A knowledgeable man alone is able to transcend the illusionary effects of māyā.

This nāma can be split into three words as bhavadā + vasudhā + vrṣtiḥ. Bhava also means Śiva therefore bhavadā means She is the giver of Śiva. Attaining Śiva means liberation. Vasudhā means wealth. She is the giver of wealth. Vrṣtiḥ means giver. In this context this nāma means that She is the giver of both liberation and material life. It is said that dedicated and sincere devotees of Lalitāmbikā get both salvation and material pleasure.

Pāparaṇya-davānalā पापरण्य-दवानला (743)

Rudra Yāmala says “Indra! This supreme secret which destroys all sins immediately is to repeat Pañcadaśīmantra 1008 times by standing in water after taking bath with total devotion and faith.”

Lalitā triśatī nāmas 31 and 112 convey the same meaning. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gīta (XVIII.66) “Resigning all your duties to Me, the all powerful and all supporting Lord, take refuge in Me alone, I shall absolve you of all sins, worry not.”

Daurbhāgya-tūla-vātūlā दौर्भाग्य-तूल-वातूला (744)

Karma-s accrued in various births appear like a big bundle of cotton. She blows away the contents of the bundle like whirlwind. Karma-s are the cause for miseries and this nāma says that She removes these miseries like whirlwind blowing away thistledown.

This nāma does not mean that She will remove the sins that easily. She makes such sinners to perform good karma-s as a result of which the intensity of the karma-s is reduced. She is the cause for making a person to perform good karma-s to offset his evil karma-s. By not transcending the law of karma, She still shows ways to come out of committing sins and offsetting the karmic account.